The advent of entertainment-type devices such as billiards, table soccer or the like, within areas such as taverns, waiting areas or the like, has greatly increased the need for accurate, safe, coin operated devices. Since it is obvious that these devices are to a large extent used in minimally supervised areas, they must not only be simple but they must also be of a construction not readily capable of being damaged or forced.
Also, since these devices are in minimally supervised areas and since it is necessary to keep the cost down, they will not be serviced on a frequent basis, they must be of a structure that will consistently operate as expected and designed. To have a device non-operative or only partially operative in an area of little supervision could be disastrous. It is for this reason that the devices addressed in this particular application and the devices which are in use in these common areas have a capacity of balls or the like which is greater than that minimally necessary to operate the machine. In the event that a ball is removed by vandalism or is broken, another one will replace the missing ball during the next normal operation and will not therefore inspire a player to damage the device because he felt cheated.
Many attempts have been made in the past to provide a fail-safe dispensing mechanism; however, these have tended to become complicated as a preventive measure and therefore have introduced the greater possibility of malfunctioning because of the number of elements involved.
Still other attempts made while addressing the problem have provided mechanisms which accurately measured the device or units being dispensed, were simple enough that the dispensing was a consistent function, but they were such that they could be easily tampered with, thus permitting an unscrupulous operator to empty the entire mechanism.
With the above-noted prior art and problems in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a failsafe dispensing mechanism for devices which are coin operated, a mechanism particularly designed such that a predetermined number of dispensed objects are accurately measured and dispensed in response to the deposit of the proper coinage.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a simple dispensing mechanism wherein the dispensing action is positive and direct and the mechanism is essentially incapable of being tampered by an unscrupulous operator.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a unique means for measuring and containing balls or the like prior to dispensing.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a unique and effective means for measuring a predetermined number of objects to be dispensed, store the objects until the appropriate dispensing time and then simulataneously dispense the measured objects and momentarily prevent the outflow of other of the objects from the adjacent storage area.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing mechanism, adjustable to accommodate objects of varying size of a different number of objects without affecting the simple straightforward action of the dispensing mechanism.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for dispensing balls or the like wherein the dispensing mechanism mechanically, positively dispenses the correct number of objects.